You're Different Yet You're Still the Same
by Riveted
Summary: AU and then spoilers up to 2x16   "There's always a grain of truth in everything that's said, Rachel."  HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Rachel Berry beamed her signature grin as she heard the distinct tune of "Don't Stop Believing" come from her cell phone. Slowing the whirring elliptical to an almost nonexistent hum she wiped at her sweaty face delicately with a towel. 7:00 A.M. Right on schedule. She let the song play out entirely as she stepped from the machine and waited in anticipation, hands gripping the ends of the towel around her neck loosely. Rachel listened distractedly to her voice mail go off and then the sweetest voice she had ever heard played.

_Hope you are having a great morning. Love you._

She sighed contentedly and fondly plucked the bedazzled phone with an eager hand, flipping it open.

"Good morning."

_I thought you were going to make me go until 8:10 without hearing your voice, _pouted Rachel's irritated lover. The brunette grinned at the petulant tone. Breezily she walked toward the bathroom connected to her room, passing by a laptop on an immaculately clean desk, a wall covered with pictures, and a closet filled with argyle and animal sweaters galore.

"Oh how would you ever go on Quinn? Without me, your ever faithful and persistent source of support at your side, you would inevitably deteriorate into an overly stressed, undersexed geek," Rachel purred teasingly as she reached upward on the balls of her feet, twisting the shower knob with sure fingers.

_Oh how kind of you to remind me, _Quinn muttered in a saccharinely sweet voice, _The only reason I keep you around is obviously because you provide great sex and prevent me from losing my mind._

Rachel smirked as she tested the water with one hand.

"I love you, Quinn," she said warmly, eyes twinkling with amusement.

_As I love you._

The girl suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to hug the blonde who was speaking to her. They stood in the comfortable silence of loving confessions that were really an occurrence that happened at least several times a day. The shrill keen of hot water in the shower pipes broke Rachel from her reverie.

"I have to go take a shower. I will speak to you again when I get to school."

_Why did you have to mention the shower? Now I can't get the image out of my head! _whined Quinn. Rachel could just imagine the other girl crossing her arms like a spoiled child with an irritable pout on her gorgeous face.

"Good-bye, Quinn," she giggled amusedly, gently closing the phone despite the very audible protests from the speaker.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Daddy!" Rachel yelled happily as she careened down the stairs, hopping gracelessly on a socked foot as she struggled to put on her shoes. She was in a hurry. She shouldn't have stayed up so late talking to Quinn last night. Rachel had merely sat on the bed for a few minutes, stretching out on the fluffy king sized mattress, and the next thing she knew it was 7:55 and school started in fifteen minutes.

Hiram Berry smiled crookedly at his daughter, wiping his wet ebony hands on a clean wash cloth.

"Sweetie, breakfast is on the counter. If you want to keep your perfect attendance record I suggest you-" Rachel lunged forward, grabbed the slice of fresh multi grain bread with almond butter, and hastily pecked her father on the cheek as she rushed out the door, "-hurry." Hiram sighed as he watched his little girl throw her backpack into the passenger seat of the car and speed off to William Mckinley High School. He glanced at his watch with an amused smile as he prepared for his day at the hospital.

OOOOOOOOOO

Rachel was winded as she hurriedly dialed in the combination to her locker, nervously scanning the halls of people who were slowly straggling to their classes. She was amazed that she had been able to make it on time. Frankly she knew that if she had a blemish on her attendance record Quinn would not let her hear the end of it. Rachel hissed softly when her too hasty fingers slid past the correct number. Angrily she tried to open the catch of the locker with overeager hands. Nothing. She'd have to dial it all over again. This would be her third time. Just as she was about to turn the dial a creamy white hand shot out and nimbly turned the combination with sure fingers. Rachel watched, entranced as the beige locker swung open.

"Thank-you," she murmured breathlessly, quickly exchanged books from her locker to her backpack. She shouldered the bag and turned, leaning against the wall of lockers, beaming. Before her was a tall blonde dressed in casual jeans and a baggy MIT jacket. Peaking from underneath the unzipped outer layer was her favorite black t-shirt with pi lovingly embroidered on the front. Hazel eyes in turn appreciatively looked over the appearance of the short brunette, observing a short skirt, long knee high socks, and a form fitting argyle sweater.

Quinn adjusted the glasses resting on the bridge of her nose, an eyebrow arching charmingly.

"Having locker trouble again Rachel?" The girl rolled her eyes and playfully shoved the blonde's shoulder.

"I said thank-you Quinn, a very adequate response to your chivalrous action in my opin-_mph_!" The overly long sentence was cut off by Quinn's eager lips. In a few seconds Rachel was pushed up against the lockers behind her. The kiss wasn't sloppy and wet but it was a deep kiss that made Rachel curl her toes. Suddenly the welcome and warm contact ended.

"See you in Honors American Lit.," the blonde whispered in Rachel's ear before she disappeared down the hallway in long legs and a baggy burgundy jacket. She leaned against the metal for a few more seconds before the bell went off. She cursed as she rushed off to class, the brief yet heated encounter gone from her cluttered brain.

OOOOOOOOOO

"No Brit, the mystery meat loaf isn't made from your cat. Quinn was just being a bitch again. A bitch who will get fucked up later today if I can help it."

Rachel sighed quietly into her salad as she observed the Latina cheerio glaring maliciously at her girlfriend. Quinn brushed back a perfect ringlet of blonde hair and shrugged, placing her glasses calmly on the lunch table next to her cucumber and cream cheese sandwich.

"Alright S." The blonde turned to gaze at Brittany who was staring at the meatloaf apprehensively, poking the suspicious blob with trepidation. Her hazel eyes bore into slightly glazed over blue ones.

"Brittany, you know I get a 4.6 GPA, right?" Santana cleared her throat in annoyance. Quinn grit her teeth and elbowed the girl before returning to staring at Brittany with utter sincerity. "I can honestly concur that without a doubt this meatloaf is composed of a goulash substance consisting of leftover pot roast, hot dog, spam, chicken, and hamburger. It is unfeasible that a cat is in this lunch." After a minute of deliberation Brittany nodded and took a hesitant bite of her food. She smiled happily at Santana and the meal resumed.

Rachel smiled and rubbed her foot up and down Quinn's ankle. The girl revealed nothing about the hidden contact as if the action didn't phase her, although she did have a peculiar blush on her cheeks.

"_Dios mio_, will you guys please stop being sickeningly cute with each other? It's enough that Britt-Britt and I had to deal with this since we were six but to top it off I can't eat this fucking slice of pizza without watching you two playing footsie!" Santana's face was red with exasperation, jaw clenched in clear indignation. All it took was Brittany gently cupping the Latian's cheek and suddenly she sagged from her previously hostile posture.

"You know San, you and B are just as bad as me and Rachel," muttered Quinn with an amused eye roll.

"Do you wanna say that to my face Fabray?"

"I kind of already am."

"Nerd."

"Air head."

"Geek."

"Imbecile."

"Erkel."

"Libby."

Rachel rested her chin on the heel of her hand, stabbing idly at her salad. Santana and Quinn were always at each other's throats. It'd been that way since they were little kids in preschool, constantly shoving one another into the sandbox. When things got a little too heated Brittany would calm Santana down and Rachel would calm Quinn down. Worked like a charm every time.

"Hey Quinn." Instantly hazel eyes had their undivided attention trained on the coy lips curved in a devious smile.

"Yes?"

"I think I need to help you work on your voice for glee. You have to be able to reach the high F for regionals." Her tone was innocent enough but all Quinn needed to see was the gleam in the brunette's chocolate eyes. The blonde sat up a bit too eagerly, easily slinging her book bag over her shoulder.

"Now?" she inquired, a single blonde eyebrow shooting up her forehead. Rachel smiled down at her lunch. It had been a while since she had "voice lessons" with Quinn. She considered a while two days.

"I suppose if you want to improve you vocal capabilities I could-"

"FABRAY!" Santana, Brittany, Quinn and a very annoyed Rachel turned to see the gangly form of Mike Chang streak through the cafeteria. He had an extremely excited look on his face and in one hand he held a still buzzing DS. Rachel internally screamed. She liked Mike Chang. He was a friendly and warm person. Also he was Quinn's best guy friend. They talked about all sorts of nerd related nonsense like Pokemon, Final Fantasy, and Star Wars. Rachel loved her girlfriend, truly she did despite her nerdiness she was one of the sweetest and most lovable people she had ever known. It was just sometimes the girl couldn't take a hint when Rachel wanted to make out and Quinn went on and on about how one of her Pokemon had evolved and she had to text Mike and rub it in his face . . . So Mike usually acted as the buffer between Rachel and nerd related activity. However, there was always a price to that.

"Take that!" The tall asian smirked cheekily as he carefully placed his DS in front of Quinn, eyes gleaming triumphantly. The blonde's jaw dropped and she reached for the small device, only to have it taken away from her eager hands.

"How the hell did you get Pokemon Black and White? This doesn't come out for another month!" Quinn's normally sultry and put together voice cracked at the last word for emphasis. Santana glanced at Rachel and chuckled in amusement at the exasperated look on the brunette's face. Brittany turned to Santana and the two shared a smoldering look.

"Well Berry, have fun with Tweedle Asian and Tweedle nerdette, Britts and I are gonna get our mac on."

"You're shameless Santana," muttered Quinn as she lunged toward Mike, attempting to pry the DS from the tall boy's hands. He merely held it above the jumping girl a prideful grin on his face.

"And you remember the deal Quinn, if I finish the game before you do you have to give me your limited addition Pikachu card."

"Hell no, Chang. That thing is called LIMITED EDITION for a reason. It came straight from Japan in one of the first packs ever sold!"

"You promised Fabray. This is where cockiness gets you." He gave his best friend a playful shoulder nudge and waltzed out of the cafeteria, followed closely behind by an incensed blonde whose screeches could be heard throughout the school campus. She had been forgotten. Again. Rachel sighed and picked up her barely eaten lunch and tossed it in the trash. She had just lost her appetite.

OOOOOOOOOO

Rachel ignored the puppy dog eyes Quinn sent her as she took her seat next to Finn, lightly brushing her side with the tall boy. He glanced at her and gave her a dopey smile, happy to see his friend.

"Hey Rach."

"Hi Finn." She glanced at Quinn out of the corner of her eye, catching sight of the pathetic look on the usually put together girl. She heard Puck make a whipping sound, getting an amused laugh from the rest of the glee club.

"Goodness girl, you have got to stop getting Rachel upset. Why don't you just give up your Poke-whats-its," Mercedes mumbled with her arms crossed over her chest. Mike and Quinn just stared at the girl like she had grown another head. Tina threw a knowing glance over her shoulder. She knew the pain the brunette was forced to endure.

Kurt and Mercedes shared an epic eye roll, giving Rachel a sympathetic glance. _We tried _he mouthed with a shrug. Rachel huffed impatiently.

"Sorry I'm late guys," Mr. Schue suddenly apologized rushing into the glee classroom, with an overzealous grin. He gestured to Brad, the endearing yet mute pianist. "Let's get started."

OOOOOOOOOO

"Thanks Daddy, Dad. It was delicious." Rachel smiled contentedly as she finished up her plate of food and walked it over tot the sink, giving it a hasty rinse over.

Hiram and John Berry shared a soft look as they looked at their daughter. A singing prodigy, an outspoken young woman, and a driven zealot. Pretty adorable in their humble opinion.

"You're welcome, honey," responded John, leaning back in his seat and wrapping an arm around his husband. Rachel tossed a gentle smile over her shoulder and then gave them each a peck on the cheek.

"I'm going to go finish my homework. Love you Daddy, Dad."

"Love you too sweetheart," the two men chorused, beaming at their wonderful girl as she sped up the stairs. They loved her and supported her through thick and thin. She was their lovely child.

OOOOOOOOOO

Rachel sighed as she flopped down onto her bed, chin resting forlornly on her crossed arms. She stared at the wall of pictures. There was no method to the madness of that mess. It was the only blatant unorganized project in her room. It was really Quinn's project, the only part of Rachel's room that didn't belong to her. The photos ranged from when she was a baby to a few weeks ago. To her amusement most of the pictures were taken by Quinn. That girl had so many quirks, one of them being her fascination with photography. It made Rachel look rather vain to have so many pictures of herself but of course it was so difficult to get a picture of the photographer. Rachel was proud the one day she had finally snapped a shot of the camera shy blonde.

_Sunlight streams through her splayed open fingers, warming her face. It's summer and it's a perfect day in Lima, Ohio. The summer before junior year. SATS, scholarships, early admissions, college, first prom. Rachel swallows and worriedly crosses her arms over her chest. _

Click

_She blinks and rolls onto her stomach, too late realizing that the grass will stain her immaculately white shirt. She stares blankly into Quinn's laughing hazel eyes, observes the pink lips curved into a soft smile, and glares at the elderly camera in her girlfriend's hands. With an impetuous flick of her wrist, all worrisome thoughts forgotten, she snags the camera from the blonde's hands and fingers the button that will snap a picture. _

"_Hey Rach, watch it. That's what I spent my Christmas money on-" _

Click

Rachel smiled as she gazed at the amusing snapshot of Quinn, glasses askew, hand outstretched, words cut off though Quinn hated the photo the girl thought it perfectly captured Quinn Fabray. Candid pictures were her favorites. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, pouting sullenly on her bed, mussing the neatly made pink sheets. She should probably call Quinn and tell her that she wasn't mad with her. It was just a lover's quarrel after all. They had had far worse in the past. This was merely a bump in their relationship. Reluctantly she reached for the bedazzled phone with wiggling fingers when the iconic Journery anthem played loudly in her bedroom. Good. Rachel hated being the one to grovel.

"Hello Quinn, I am pleased that you have now seen the error of your ways. Please make your apology warm and heartfelt, I cannot stand-"

_Uh Rachel this is Brittany. _

The brunette wrinkled her nose in surprise. She hadn't known that the girl knew how to use a phone.

"Oh hello, Brittany."

_Hi._

An awkward silence ensued.

_Have you and Quinn made up yet?_

"No," Rachel sighed and absentmindedly fiddled with the hem of her plaid skirt. "I was about to call her actually."

_You should totally do that. Make-up sex is the best. I do this one thing that makes San-_

"Brittany. You're talking right now."

_Oh . . . sorry Rachel._

"You know Brittany, sometimes I wish that things could be different." She sighed and plopped onto her back, cradling the phone to her ear as she stared at the pastel pink ceiling.

_What do you mean?_

"I don't know. . . sometimes I wonder what the glee club would do during a zombie apocalypse, or some other natural disaster." Rachel paused and frowned. So Finn and Noah's Nazi zombie playing had finally rubbed off on her.

_But aren't things nice now? Why would you want things to be different? _

"I suppose it's just human nature Brittany. Humans always question the what-if in life. Like what-if Quinn wasn't a nerd or if I wasn't a singer or we weren't all friends. Don't you ever think like that?" Her eyes widened. She hadn't expected such a secret part of her mind to be revealed over the phone in a casual conversation with _Brittany_.

_No. Being grateful for what we have is pretty important Rach. If I don't do that then how could I appreciate stuff?_

Rachel shrugged even though she knew Brittany couldn't see her.

"It's just a silly little confession Brittany. I don't mean anything by it."

_There's always a grain of truth in everything that's said, Rachel._

The petite girl frowned and sat up. The blonde sounded very strange, like her usual deadpan voice had some emotion. She had known Brittany for ten years and was lucky to get such a reaction from her out of a simple phone call.

"I'm sorry Brittany, I didn't mean to upset-" Suddenly Rachel clutched at her head, the phone slipping from her fingers.

_Rachel? Rachel? Rac-_

"Ugh." Rachel curled up into a ball, squeezing her eyes shut. The room was spinning and everything was pounding. It felt like she had gotten hit by a car while simultaneously serenaded by a jackhammer instrumental. Groaning she blindly reached for anything to help her from this agony. She felt something crumple in the palm of her hand and then it all . . . changed to . . . black.

XXXXXXXXXX

_Something has changed within me_

_Something is not the same_

_I'm through with playing by the rules_

_Of someone else's game_

Rachel jolted upward, eyes wide. _Defying Gravity_ was not her wake-up song. A Broadway classic but it was more of a pick-me-up. Blearily rubbing exhaustion from her eyes she stretched forward and shut off the alarm. Frowning she rubbed her scalp, the dull throb of a once overwhelming headache interrupting her thoughts. What had happened last night? Had Quinn accidentally given her roofies again? That was one occasion she was happy she had completely forgotten. Who knew nerds were capable of finding such dangerous and illegal drugs?

With an extraneous yawn Rachel stretched, both arms reaching for the ceiling, glancing idly to the wall of pictures. Except there weren't any pictures to be seen. She frowned as she trotted forward, not quite believing that the wall once smothered with photographs was now quite bare. She traced her fingers over the cool plaster, her mind reeling. What happened last night? Was this Quinn's bizarre sense of humor again? She turned and glanced at her desk. Her bedazzled pink laptop was there per usual but there were also neatly placed framed photographs. Rushing forward she caught sight of glee club holding their sectionals trophy. Jubilant smiles were on their faces and hope shone in their eyes. Rachel glanced at the companion picture and frowned. She was posing with Finn, eyes too bright, arms wrapped around the taller boy's waist in a possessive waist grab. She glanced at another photo which was also with Finn, this time he was hugging her in his arms.

"What on earth is going on here?" she whispered breathlessly. Her arms fell limply to her sides as she strode numbly across the room. Suddenly she stumbled, waving her arms frantically in the air. Irately she glanced at the object that had tripped her. Her pink bedazzle cell phone. It was instantaneous. She lurched forward and snapped open the phone and dialed the all too familiar number. After a single beep the recipient of the call picked up.

"Hello?"

"Quinn Fabray, you better tell me what is going on right now! If this is some sort of grand scheme to win back my affection it is not working. It's just plain creepy Quinn. I mean how did you even photoshop Finn and I into those ridiculous poses? This is bizarre even for you Quinn and I say that with the most love in the worl-"

"Wait . . . Rachel what the hell are you talking about?"

The brunette blinked and scrunched up her forehead.

"Excuse me? I'm just trying to get down to the bottom of things Quinn. Logically the removal of the pictures and the replacements could only mean you're trying to make a point. Or my girlfriend is trying to unsubtly break up with me, but I truly hope it is the former, not the latter."

There was a long silence that made Rachel begin to pace around the room.

"Rachel." The girl paused, eyebrows furrowing nervously at the cold tone.

"Yes?"

"I'm not your girlfriend."

**A/N So this is my first multichapter fic for the Glee fandom. I'll try to update weekly. Also I ship Quinn and Mike as nerdy friends so hard. Almost as hard as I ship Brittanna and Faberry.**


	2. Chapter 2

_"Hey, stop it!" snaps six year old Quinn Fabray, hands resting angrily on her hips. Santana glowers at the blonde, mocking sneer on her face._

_"Whatcha say Fabray?" she growls, turning away from little Rachel Berry who is sprawled out on the ground, tears in her eyes._

_"Leave. Her. Alone." Steely hazel bores into rebellious chocolate. After a few seconds the thick tension lessens when the blonde turns from the small Latina and gazes sympathetically at the whimpering brunette below her._

_"Hey," she whispers softly, "Are you okay?"_

_Rachel hiccups and tries to rub her nose as daintily as possible._

_"Y-yeah." She averts her eyes and nervously plays with the hem of her skirt. Suddenly she sees a hand out of the corner of her eye._

_"Here, let me help you up." Rachel incredulously stares at the blonde silhouetted by bright sunlight and in that moment she is in love before she even truly knows what the word means._

_OOOOOOOOOOO_

___Rachel? Are you high?_ The brunette blinked and felt the phone slip from her grasp. She barely heard the muffled voice in the carpet. What the hell was going on? Was this real life? She attempted to swallow, wincing at the rough feeling.

She frowned and shuffled toward her bed where she fell into a heap. What had happened last night? So she had a little fight with Quinn. Rachel knew that the other girl would be at fault if anything. This did not warrant a break up. She glanced at her phone planted in the beige carpet. Sighing she reached forward, scooped it into her hand, and rested it against her ear.

"Quinn, are you still there?"

_. . . Yes_. Rachel let out a shaky breath in relief and wrapped her free arm around herself. Slowly she stood up and walked out of her room.

"So, you're not my girlfriend? I sincerely apologize for what happened yesterday, okay. Even though I do not see how I was in the wrong I will do anything to have you back, Quinn. Please?" Rachel had not begged very often in her life before. It was not something a future Broadway starlet should be accustomed to doing. But she would do anything for Quinn, bruising her pride included.

_Rachel, I honestly don't know what you're talking about. Last week we won Regionals, we had a party at Puck's house, got a little drunk and maybe a little high, and then Finn dropped you off. I don't know where you're getting this girlfriend nonsense from, Rachel._ The brunette frowned and pressed the phone closer to her ear. Strange. This was Quinn's voice she was hearing but it was detached, not as emotional and full of life as it used to be. Used to be? Was there even a used to be? Rachel stared at the pictures resting against the wall in the hallway. Those weren't there before. They were all pictures of her at various dance and singing competitions. Last time she remembered they were supposed to be in the basement nicely hung and neatly maintained. The hallway should be covered with family portraits and vacations.

Rachel felt it before she realized what was happening. Her knees dug into carpet and her head slumped forward. Had she imagined everything then? Was her whole life a dream and she had just woken up into reality? She vaguely recalled Quinn-or figment of her imagination Quinn- talking to her about that theory when they were in the blonde's room one time.

_"What if we were in a dream right now?" Rachel arches a playful eyebrow and pulls a stray lock of golden hair from the blonde's hazel eyes. Quinn has a pensive and distracted look on her face as she rests next to Rachel on her bed._

_"If this is a dream I wouldn't want to wake up," teases the brunette as she brushes her lips along Quinn's jaw._

_"So you would want to be in a fantasy rather than reality?" Rachel sighs and rocks back on her heels, annoyance briefly flitting in her eyes. She closes her eyes. Since they were younger Quinn would get into these thinking moods and when she started she couldn't stop. Rachel would just have to humor her._

_"It really is just about favoring pleasure over real life, isn't it?" Quinn tilts her head back and stares at the muted grey ceiling above her. She looks tragically beautiful in that moment, tormented by some niggling thought that just won't leave her. Rachel lunges forward and pins Quinn down to the bed, much to the blonde's surprise._

_"Quinn Fabray, even if we were both fantasies right now and we eventually wake up and it was all a dream, I would never forget you."_

_The other girl gives her a watery smile. Slowly she props herself up on her elbows and their lips connect. They do not talk for awhile._

"Is this the real life or is this just fantasy?" murmurs Rachel thoughtfully.

_Alright Rachel. I don't know what you had to drink or smoke at the party but you should probably skip school today. For you safety, please._ Was Quinn begging? Rachel vaguely wondered. Maybe insanity made one hear things as well as imagine them.

"That is a marvelous idea, Quinn. Please disregard everything I said earlier. That would make everything much simpler."

_Already done, Berry._ In an instant the phone call ceased and Rachel was left staring at her phone. Curling up in a ball on the floor she let out a shuddering breath. Any second the tears would come now . . . any sec- Her train of though was stopped by a rustling of paper. Frowning she felt around the waistband of the skirt she had been wearing yesterday. Eureka.

Rachel stared at the picture before her and felt tears fall from her eyes. She wasn't crazy. She couldn't be. She had photographic evidence.

The photograph before her was of the glee club during their summer before Junior year. _Her_ glee club. _Her_ summer. _Her_ reality.

_"Please," begs Quinn with an adorable pout as she rests her hands on her hips. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a tight pony tail and her glasses are slipping off the bridge of her nose from the sweat blanketing her face._

_The rest of the club grumble in annoyance. They all want to just hang out in Noah's house in peace, not go out and take some picture._

_"It's weird because usually I have to tell Quinn this, but rein in your girlfriend, Rachel," mutters Santana as she wraps a possessive arm around a sleeping Brittany. Rachel sighs and stands from her comfortable position on the couch and saunters toward the exasperated blonde._

_"Quinn, it is rather hot out and it seems that the rest of the glee club is against it. Would it be alright if we do this another time?"_

_Quinn sighs softly and hangs her head._

_"Please Rachel. I always support you with your endeavors. Couldn't you help me with mine?" Imploring hazel bores into surprised chocolate. Rachel grits her teeth and turns to the rest of the glee club, lazily sprawled out across the living room._

_"Get up everyone. We're taking a picture outside. It is the summer of our junior year and if we don't preserve at least one memory of this summer than we'll forget. Pictures are metaphors for memories, and metaphors are-"_

_"Important," chorus the rest of the glee club, slight amusement in their exasperated eyes. Rachel answers with a thousand kilowatt smile. As the group of friends file out of the house she feels soft lips ghost along her shoulder._

_"Thank-you, Rachel."_

_"Anytime, Quinn."_

So there they were, the glee club drenched in sweat in front of Noah's house but smiling. When the picture had been snapped by a slightly confused passer-by all of the glee club were showcasing their relationships. Quinn and Rachel. Santana and Brittany. Mike and Tina. Those that were single were still content and smiling. Junior year changed a lot of things and this moment was a simple snapshot of everything before those changes. And it was from her reality. Rachel just knew it.

She jerked upward and smiled. It was time to get ready for school. She'd find the chinks in this place and get back. She had to.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Nervously Rachel wrapped her arms around the books she clutched to her chest. Everything had looked the same as she got ready for school, her car, her kitchen, her house. But there were subtle reminders that this could not be her real home. Her dad always stayed with her in the mornings to make sure she got out of the house alright. However, he wasn't there. When she was putting her backpack in the car she felt her stomach drop as she realized none of Quinn's books or spare clothes were cluttering her back seat or trunk. It had been a somber drive to school, no music or singing at all.

So here she was standing in the hallway of William Mckinley high school, apprehensive and fearing the worst. Her eyes flitted around the throngs of people, tentatively correlating names with faces. She swallowed as she stood in front of her locker. Or was it her locker? Rachel squeezed her eyes shut as she quickly dialed the combination. She lifted the catch and sighed with relief when it opened. However, she gagged when she saw what was in her locker. It used to be pictures of her and Quinn with the occasional glee club member, a worn Barbara Streisand photo, and the simple word EGOT she had scrawled at the tender age of three. But now it was Finn, magnetic sticky notes, and her books. She glanced at the list on the first sticky note, wrinkling her nose at some of the ridiculous thoughts scrawled in her hand.

Rachel harrumphed contemptuously as she tossed her books from locker into her backpack and vice versa. This day couldn't possibly get any worse-

She heard the snickers of laughter before she felt the sharp jarring sensation of ice smother her face and drip down her blouse. Rachel exhaled sharply in shock as her eyes tracked a leering Karofsky who gave one of his jock friends a high five. She knew that Karofsky was a jerk but after what happened the first time she had gotten slushied he had tended to avoid her.

_Rachel feels tears well in her eyes as the slush drips down her face and onto the floor. The ice burns against her face and it hurts but it's the shame and humiliation that hurts more than anything. Just as she is about to turn and go to the restroom she feels Quinn's wet hand grab Rachel's wrist, restraining her._

_"Stay here and hold my glasses," she whispers quietly in an overly cool voice. Rachel frowns as she grips the black glasses in her hands, absentmindedly wiping the ice from the glass. She watches as Quinn ambles up to Karofsky and gently taps him on the shoulder. Even though she still has slushy dripping down her face and she's smaller than Karofsky she still pulls back her fist and makes contact with the boy's nose. Everyone gasps as the two get in a fight, rolling around in the hall, throwing punches and curse words._

_"You imbecile, how dare you slushy my girlfriend?" Quinn, lip bleeding and golden mane flowing, repetitively lays blow after blow on the boy's battered face. It takes six guys to restrain Quinn and she still is spitting like a feral cat, body shaking with uncontrollable rage. It's the first time that Rachel is afraid of Quinn. She realized that spiting Quinn Fabray is one of the worst things a person can do._

She glanced around the hallway, wistfully looking for her knight in shining armor to come out of nowhere and save her from her distressful situation. Suddenly she met dull hazel across the hallway and she gasped. Quinn looked . . . so different. Her long blonde hair freely flowed around her shoulders, she was wearing a cutesy baby doll dress with a cardigan, and fashionable boots covered her feet. The blonde arched an inquisitive eyebrow at the once over. Why did Quinn look so indifferent and cool? It was one thing to hear someone talk in a detached voice on the phone but to see this Quinn was . . . unnerving. In a few seconds the eye contact was broken and Quinn walked off to her next class and Rachel ran to the restroom.

OOOOOOOOO

Rachel felt at loss when she entered the cafeteria. Since they were little kids in Kindergarten it had always been her, Quinn, Brittany, and Santana at a lunch table. Always. But now . . . things were much different. She swallowed and glanced around, seeing the usually table that she occupied with Quinn, Santana, and Brittany filled with unfamiliar faces. Of course. It could never be that easy, could it? Rachel turned on her heel and fled the suffocating place, speeding down the hall and to the choir room. Exhaling a shaky breath she plopped down onto a chair and rested her head in her hands.

"Hey Rachel, what's wrong?" Slowly Rachel pulled her head from her hands and gazed at Mike Chang, whose hands were stuffed awkwardly in his pockets.

"Hello Mike," Rachel murmured softly, averting her eyes from his confused stare. "Nothing is wrong. Everything is-" awful, just so terrible and wrong that it makes me want to cry and throw up at the same time, where is Quinn, what is Quinn, who are these people with my friends' faces and why does this have to happen to me "-fine."

The asian's forehead wrinkled pensively as he frowned at the forlorn girl before him. He admitted that he didn't know Rachel very well but he could at least tell when another human being was sad. As he stared at her he thought in the dictionary right next to depressed would be a picture of Rachel Berry.

"Uh . . ." he sucked on his teeth and tentatively reached forward, resting his hand comfortingly on the girl's back. Mike did not think of himself as a gentleman but girl's crying was something that he couldn't stand.

"I-Uh . . ." Rachel's forehead creased as she pursed her lips. Mike could almost hear her brain working to formulate the perfect words.

"What's wrong with Quinn?" she whispered softly, hanging her head and staring intently at the linoleum floor in front of her.

Mike frowned and sat down, folding his hands in his lap.

"What do you mean, Rachel?"

The brunette's breath hitched and she puled her gaze from the ground.

"She's distant, and . . . sad. Did-Did something happen?" Mike tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"I don't know her very well but I think she's always like that. Been that way since the baby."

Rachel sat up quickly in shock.

"What baby?"

OOOOOOOOOOOO

When Rachel got to glee club she was late but frankly she didn't care. Everyone was staring at her, looks ranging from mildly annoyed to indifferent. Was this glee club so displeased with her? She plopped down in the third row and blocked everything out almost immediately. All that had lingered in her mind throughout the confusing and mind-boggling day was the information about Quinn's apparent pregnancy a few months earlier. This sounded so different to her Quinn. Maybe the two were much more different than she thought. They shared looks and nothing more. But when she glanced at the blonde out of the corner of her eye her heart ached and she sharply inhaled. Quinn Fabray could and would always be able to take her breath away, be it as a nerdy sweetheart or a cheerleading bitch.

As Mr. Schuester skipped into the room, clapping his hands eagerly together Rachel watched Quinn. She could easily see the look of boredom in the hazel eyes. So was the giving up of her out of wedlock child the reason for the tired and uncaring facade the girl projected? Rachel rested her chin on her head and let out a loud sigh.

"Uh Rachel?" The brunette sat upward in rapt attention, eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes Mr. Schuester?"

"Are you alright?" The man gave her a gentle glance that made her remember why she enjoyed him as a teacher so much. But she was getting so tired of everyone here asking her this question. She was not alright.

"Oh yes. I'm absolutely _divine_, Mr. Schuester," she chirped with too much enthusiasm, eliciting an annoyed eye roll from Santana a few seats away. No one noticed her hands clenching the fabric of her skirt so hard that her knuckles turned white.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"Quinn . . . may I speak with you?" The blonde glanced up from her notebook, eyes trailing the glee clubbers that straggled out of the classroom. Rachel attempted to ignore the sympathetic looks that Mercedes and Tina gave Quinn as they slipped out of the classroom. In Rachel's reality everyone at glee club hadn't loved each other but at least they were all friends. Here it seemed the ties of friendship were merely in correlation with songs and dance and nothing more.

"Sure, Rachel," Quinn murmured quietly, slowly closing the book she was scribbling in. Rachel couldn't quite brace herself in time for the liquid hazel gaze that the blonde gave her. It made her heart throb and not for the first time that day she thought of her Quinn Fabray with the simple black glasses and easy smile.

"I just wanted to make sure that we have an understanding about what . . . occurred this morning."

For a brief moment that hazel orbs narrowed, hardening in calculation.

"I thought we agreed to not talk about this."

Rachel swallowed, wetting her lips as she realized just how dangerous this situation could be.

"I-I understand that Quinn. It's just good to communicate with each other about the confusing conversation we had earlier." She sighed and plopped down next to the blonde, wrapping her arms around herself. In any other situation Quinn would have a lazy arm wrapped around her shoulders or a hand idly playing with her fingers.

"You were obviously very high or drunk from the weekend, Berry. I don't think I have much more to say," Quinn muttered darkly, her jaw clenching as she ground out the words.

Rachel slumped forward in her seat, grasping desperately for something to say that would detain the other girl from leaving. She glanced at the her out of the corner of her eye and saw that Quinn was staring right back. Rachel felt heat blanket the back of her neck and she promptly stood, anything was better than having to hear an accusatory remark.

"Yes, you're right Quinn. I'm sorry for bothering you." She turned her back on the blonde listening to the sounds of books rubbing against the fabric of a backpack and the rustling of papers being crammed into tight space. Rachel expectantly waited for the sound of Quinn leaving to echo in her ears but a sudden sentence broke the tense silence.

"You didn't bother me." By the time the brunette glanced up in shock, Quinn was already gone.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The soft sound of the piano echoed in the nearly empty auditorium. Rachel bit her lip and angrily slammed her hands on the ivory keys out of frustration. What was wrong with everything? It hadn't even been a day but she was already going insane. Quinn wasn't her girlfriend, she had no friends, and she still got slushied. What kind of person was this Rachel Berry anyway? Why did people hate her so much?

She practically grolwed and crossed her arms over her chest. This was almost too much to bear!

"That's not gonna make things much better."

Rachel frowned and glanced over her shoulder. She cracked a sad smile as she took in the tall and uncertain blonde standing before her.

"Hello Brittany." The girl smiled hesitantly and strode toward Rachel, leaning against the polished black piano.

"Are you okay Rach?" Rachel let out a shuddering breath.

"No, Brittany, I-I'm not okay." She swallowed thickly and stared intently at her tan fingers splayed across the sharply white keys.

"I'm sorry." Rachel rubbed her eyes, stopping the tears before they even began. Breathing out slowly she turned to look at Brittany.

"Don't be sorry, Brittany, none of this is your fault." The girl however just pouted and rested her head on her arms, peering at Rachel curiously through half-lidded eyes.

"How do you know?"

The response took Rachel by surprise. The blonde said the words so sharply, no gentle and mechanical tone whatsoever.

"Well-I-I can assume-"

"You assume?" Piercing slate blue held her in place. "Assumptions don't mean anything, Rachel." The brunette physically recoiled at the words, wincing at the harsh ferocity in the normally mild tempered girl's voice.

"Did I do something to offend you too, Brittany?" She experimentally played a scale, trying to recall the brief piano lesson Quinn had given her a year ago. Unfortunately it had ended with Quinn playing her, not the piano. A comfortable silence stretched out and for a few seconds Rachel imagined that it was just a normal day at school and Brittany and her were waiting for their girlfriends together.

"She's meaner here." Rachel halted her playing, hands poised above the piano. She stared at Brittany and frowned as she took in her agonized face, unshed tears gleaming in the stage lighting.

"Apparently I'm with Artie now and she hates me but loves me at the same time. And I don't want to do this because I want her but she won't take me because I rejected her and-"

"Brittany." The girl quickly stopped her rambling returning her rapt attention to the shorter person in front of her.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

The blonde sighed and traced patterns on the smooth surface of the piano with her fingertips.

"I'm saying that this alternate universe sucks and I'm sorry for sending us here."

**A/N **_Sorry about the wait, I had loads of tests for the past few weeks. I hope you enjoyed this chapter , I'll try to update as soon as I can._


End file.
